The Eighth Addition
by emotionless-robot
Summary: After the amazing defeat of VenomMyotismon, the digidestined return to the digital world, where the newest member has trouble believing she'll ever fit in. Soon, Kari realises that she is irreplacable, but how?


Here's another one-shot I threw together. It's not very long, and not as good as my other ones, I think, but it's alright I suppose. Just something to pass the time. I realised that Kari never really got introduced to everyone when they went to the digital world, so I concocted my own version. Hope you like it.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed my other stories... you guys are great!

Disclaimer on profile.

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"So, what do you think?" Gatomon asked her partner.

"It's nice, I suppose. But it's just so different. I miss home already. Don't tell Tai though, I don't want him to start worrying."

For everyone else, it was like returning to their favourite vacation spot. For Kari though, it was like entering a dark cave where she was blind and had to feel her way around. The digital world seemed scary, even with Gatomon and the others by her side. She didn't know anyone, except for Tai, and they all knew each other already. How was she supposed to fit in?

Gatomon noticed Kari's agonized expression and tried to console her. "Don't freak yourself out. Everything will be fine. I'll be here to protect you, and you'll get to know everyone eventually. I'm sure they'll love you. Why don't you go talk to one of them now? Like that tiny one - he seems to be around your age."

"I don't know, Gatomon…"

The Digimon shoved her partner in the little boy's direction and ordered, "Just go already."

Kari glanced back one last time at her friend and cautiously approached her target. She took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_, she thought.

"Hi."

There, it was over and done with. She said it. She hoped Gatomon was happy.

The boy looked at her with wide blue eyes and smiled.

"Hi!" he said enthusiastically. "You're Kari, right? I'm TK."

Kari shyly smiled back and nodded. His response was a very energetic, and it made her nervous.

"Yeah, that's me alright."

Just then, Patamon collided into TK's head and clung to his hat.

"Help me, TK! The cat's going to eat me!" Patamon cried.

Kari's heart sank. Now he was going to hate her, all because of Gatomon. Just when things seemed to be looking up, her mischievous partner had to create some kind of trouble. Gatomon jumped into Kari's arms and stared down her victim. Patamon cowered.

"That's enough, Gatomon. I'm sorry, TK and Patamon. I hope she didn't hurt you." Kari apologised and tightened her hold on the white cat.

TK laughed and said, "I'm sure Patamon is fine. He gets scared easily sometimes."

"I do not, TK!" Patamon declared. "She was going to eat me, I know it!"

Kari looked at Gatomon, who defended herself. "What? I thought he was a mouse. Can't blame me."

Kari glanced at Patamon and exclaimed, "He's orange and has wings, Gatomon. He does not look like a mouse. Now shoo; you've caused enough trouble today."

Gatomon huffed and scampered off. Patamon sighed in relief and flopped onto TK's head with a plop.

TK laughed again. "Sorry about him. He's a little bit too dramatic. Sometimes I think he should have been paired up with Mimi."

Kari smiled and asked, "Mimi's the one with the pink cowboy hat, right?"

TK nodded and said, "I almost forgot you don't know everyone yet. Well, Joe is the one that's checking all his medical supplies, Izzy is the boy with the computer, Sora is the girl that's shouting at your brother, and that's Matt, _my_ older brother."

Kari frowned, trying to remember all of that.

"Don't worry, Kari. I'll help you remember. Besides, no one here expects you to be perfect. We've all made mistakes. Some more than others-"

"-Like Tai?" Kari interrupted.

TK laughed loudly and replied, "Yeah, I guess you could say that. But he's still a good guy. He's kinda like my second older brother."

"I know he cares about you guys a lot. When he got sent to the real world that one time, all he did was panic and worry… and raid the fridge I suppose. I don't see him worked up like that about something very often."

TK looked incredulous. "Well, that explains why he was so happy to see me. Anyways, why don't you go say hi to the others? I bet they've been dying to meet you."

Kari looked around. "I guess I could. Will you come with me?" she asked timidly.

"Of course I will! That's what friends do, right? Plus, after what happened with VenomMyotismon, you're a part of the group."

Kari looked him straight in the eyes. "Really? Do you mean that?"

TK laughed and nodded. "We're going to have a blast – all of us together, just wait and see!"

He dragged Kari over to the others, who were now trying to get a fire going.

"That's not how you do it, Tai!" Sora yelled at Kari's brother. "We're trying to start a fire, not build a fort!"

Tai was having major trouble with his assigned task and was getting extremely frustrated. "Why don't you do it then, huh? I don't see you helping out!"

Agumon intervened by offering, "Why don't I just do it? It'll be much easier that way."

Tai groaned, "Why didn't you say that in the first place, Agumon? That way I wouldn't have had to listen to Sora shriek at me like a banshee."

Kari turned to TK. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe instead of saying hello we should try and stop Sora from killing my brother."

TK shook his head and told her that everything would be fine. "Hey guys!" he called out. "Kari wanted to come over and say hi."

Her face grew slightly pink as everyone turned to look at her. TK gave her a little push forward and a reassuring grin.

"Umm… Hi?"

Tai laughed at Kari's fearful expression. "No one's going to bite, Kari. Calm down."

"I'm fine, Tai. Why don't you just worry about not setting yourself on fire."

Tai's face creased in confusion, but realised what Kari meant when the overgrown flames of the bonfire nearly set his clothes ablaze. He frantically jumped away and glared at Kari.

"You could have mentioned it a little bit sooner, you know." he scolded.

Kari giggled and replied, "I know. I just wanted to see if you would catch on, or if anyone else was going to say anything."

Tai glowered some more and tried to be ignorant of the chuckles emanating from his friends' mouths.

Sora spoke up. "I like this girl. I bet she's got some dirty secrets on Tai. Care to share, Kari?"

Kari's eyes lightened as she become conscious of just how much dirt she had on her brother. Tai's face grew alarmed and he grasped Kari by the shoulders, trying to lead her away.

"Nothing to see here. We'll just be off now…"

Sora stood and took Kari from Tai's clutches and steered her towards Mimi. "No way, Tai. She's coming to sit with the big girls now. Isn't that right, Kari?"

"Definitely." Kari agreed.

Everyone laughed as Sora sat Kari down, and she began to tell them about the time Tai went to the zoo and got attacked by lemurs.

Tai collapsed and groaned. Why did _she _have to be the eighth digidestined? Why couldn't it have been some weirdo that nobody liked or knew and had no connection to him whatsoever?

Matt laughed and said, "Life's not fair, pal. She's part of the group now. Not much you can do about it."

"No, I suppose not." Tai reluctantly decided. He smiled as he watched his younger sibling imitate the lemur attack. She'd do just fine here, he was sure of it.

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Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


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